I tried to read this novel a couple of times, but unfortunately I just couldn’t get into the story-within-the-story. Although the synopsis caught my eye, the story was not exactly able to capture my attention and interest me enough to finish the story. I hope others are able to enjoy it more than me.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC!

I enjoyed reading certain aspects of this book more than others, but I guess a small part of me is a bit tired of reading about self-centered rich people messing their lives up. Overall the book was enjoyable to read and really well written and I found it hard to put down. The plot was unique, cleaver and completely realistic. The characters make this story what it is, even though I disliked some of them most of the time, they came back around and I left them satisfied that things would be better for them. This is a book about a wealthy dysfunctional family that would be perfectly fine if they learned to properly communicate and support each other. The book opens on the funeral of the Manning Matriarch and bounces between the husband Ward, the daughter Isabelle, the daughter's friend Brian, an unfinished manuscript and the mother herself but obviously in the past when she was alive. Ward Manning is a famous award winning best selling author and Isabelle is broke and struggling to be an author just like her father. They are both riddled with insecurities and are very self centered. The lights of the story are Claire and Brian. They are well adjusted, kindhearted people who somehow found themselves wrapped up in the lives of Ward and Isabelle. Through the shifting narratives we learn that there are a lot of secrets between these four people and we watch as they all find there way to a happy-place.

[4.5 stars]

Wealthy people behaving badly has been done many times at this point, but Abramson made her debut feel unique and I think it will be one of my top underrated gems of 2023. Isabelle Manning is the daughter of legendary novelist Ward Manning, who has quite an ego. Isabelle has always idolized her Dad and wanted to follow in his footsteps as a serious novelist. After her beloved mother passes away, Isabelle discovers her family might not be as it always seemed to her. The juicy plot and sharp social commentary about the wealthy (mostly from the Nick Carraway-style outsider perspective of Isabelle's friend, Brian) help this story stand out. Even though Ward and Isabelle are fairly dislikable (privileged and entitled), I was interested in their fates right away. I also loved the exploration of what it's like to be the child of a legend and the behind the scenes of the publishing industry. I thought I knew where this book was going...and I did to a certain extent, but Abramson added layers on top that were totally unexpected. Highly recommend for fans of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson.

Isabelle Manning has always lived in her parent's shadows, being the daughter of a famous author and an intellectual mother. But she is ready for her turn as an author, a business that she has been fighting to break into. By the time she hits her mid thirties, she is lost and despondent. But when her mother dies, she discovers something that completely changes her world, and it looks like she may get the success she's been craving after all.

This was very readable, with very compelling characters, and an interesting plot. I love a messy family saga, they never get old. My only complaint is the length of the book. It didn't need to be as long as it was to get it's point across. Otherwise, solid read!

I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit (It actually broke me out of a slump!). It has an innovative structure, featuring chapters from numerous POV's, including a character we know is dead, as well as interstitial sections of a novel throughout. At times, this structure did make me a bit confused about who was speaking/writing, but overall I found it to be propulsive. Isabelle and Ward are both quite complex characters, and I'm not sure I've read about a father-daughter relationship just like theirs before. I will say my main critique is that Claire is, in many ways, the most interesting character, and having her die before the start of the book took a bit of adjustment once I realized the gist of the story. But overall, a great, fun read that raises a lot of questions about art, family, and true authorship.

This is a tangled story featuring the family of a famous American novelist, Ward Manning, following the death of his wife, Claire Manning. As their daughter, Isabelle Manning, struggles to deal with this loss, the pivotal role Claire played in so many lives becomes more and more evident. There were few likable characters in the book outside of Claire, Brian, and Margot. It made their world in New York seem elitist and unwelcoming. While there were several relatable insights into parenting—Claire wanting to be the nurturing figure she craved while trying to hold onto her true self, Ward using writing to survive his childhood, the stress of caring for the injured or sick, and exploring what love and home really mean. Otherwise, the plot felt a bit scattered with alternating perspectives and timelines. It was challenging to feel much connection to such privileged people or the story as I am not a fan of rich people behaving badly and there was a considerable dose of this in the book. What did keep my interest were the details about the writing world, from writing itself to agents, book parties, and even fan mail. The ending gained some nice momentum and redemption for this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

“A Likely Story” by Leigh McMullan Abramson is a thought provoking and mysterious novel. It’s full of secrets and lies, characters with complex pasts and a storyline that had me wanting to keep reading til the end. I was impressed with the way the author was able to explore heavy hitting questions such as “how do you define success?”, “how far are you willing to go / what would you do to obtain or maintain that success?? and “should forgiveness always be an option or are some things unforgivable?” All in all, i enjoyed the novel and would recommend it.

What an honor, yet what a struggle it is to be the only child of a famous author. It gives the child the desire to be an author herself. and to be admired like that enough. Wanting is not the same as being and she finds it a huge struggle.
Her first book is not chosen to be published and the second book is not happening for her and she's running out of money.
Her father doesn't believe in making it easy for her and her mother disagrees with him so she tries in her own ways to enable her daughter to write.
Father is an egomaniac, mother is the brains in the family who watches her daughter admire the man who is her father, unknowing of the fact that the mother made the father the star he is.
I really liked this book for the ways we learned the stories of each of them and how they all tied together. Also, for the lessons learned by all the characters. Nicely done.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion. High 3 stars rating.

There is a book within the book with parallels to the novel. While this has some interesting ideas, on the whole I found the characters unlikable and hard to relate to. It is easy to blame the family’s misery on the selfish father, but I don’t feel like it’s completely on him.

To tell the truth I struggled with A Likely Story! Parts of the book were very good, and I could not turn the page quick enough. But……….Many sections came to a screeching halt for me, and I found myself needing to re-read. In the beginning, I really felt for Isabelle when her mother, Claire, died. Isabelle’s father was a famous author but he was aloof and stuck in his fame. There are reasons he is like he is, but they are not evident for a long time. I liked the idea of the book within a book; however, it was hard keeping characters straight until I started taking notes, and the book within the book made more sense when Isabelle discovers something in a dresser drawer. My favorite character was Glenda, and I wish the author used her more. A good family counselor would be a good addition to the story.
I am going to see the author at an author luncheon in Indianapolis in April, and I am anxious to hear what Leigh Abramson has to say about her book. My thanks to Atria books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

An enjoyable book, just a bit slow at times for me. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters, to be honest they weren't very likeable. I would love to try more novels from this author though!

hated Ward with a passion and found the story a little too disjointed. Really liked the publishing insights and will read what this author does next!

Isabelle, daughter of Claire and the famous author Ward, wants to be a writer and has dedicated her life to doing so but to date hasn't had any luck selling her books. When her mother, her biggest supporter in many ways, dies she is left trying to figure out how to become a writer on her own. Her father, Ward, is a ego driven man and Isabelle is desperate to make him proud and she idolizes him... but should she? Is he as good of a writer as he lets on? Is his success really all his own? His ego is big and he "remembers" how he became a writer and married Claire in a way that suits his public persona.
When Claire died she left Isabelle her unfinished book which shed light on how her mother felt about her marriage and life. The story changes Isabelle's view of both her mother and her father and she has to figure out who she is now that her mother is gone. And her feelings about Brian, her forever best friend...
The story is told in multiple points of view and time lines... I loved the back and forth and the voices of the different characters.

A Likely Story introduces us to Isabelle Manning, her father Ward (the New York Times best selling novelist) and her recently deceased mother, Claire. Isabelle is desperate to publish a novel and ultimately gain her father's approval while also navigating her new life without her mother's support. During this time, family secrets are revealed and ethics are called into question.

It is told from multiple points of view over multiple timelines and includes a story within a story, which I found to be just a bit too much. I often had to go back and re-read portions because I couldn't remember which story or timeline I was currently reading. The content of the story within the story was quite interesting and I would've liked to read more of that!

Isabelle and Ward were both unlikeable, but Ward was the worst character I've read in quite a long time. It was difficult to connect with either these characters while waiting for the story to unfold and I almost DNF'd. I understand the author's intention could be to present flawed characters, but it was too hard to find the redeeming qualities that I needed to have any empathy or connection.

The plot was interesting enough, but the characters were too shallow for me to connect with and the slow burn of multiple POV/timelines/books was not for me.

A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson is a story about family secrets and how those secrets can corrode a family from within. This was a slow start but about a third of the way through, I was completely invested in these characters. There were times when I wanted to shake Isabelle but others when I wanted to just give her the hug, she so badly needed. The story within a story device worked very well here and added to the lushness of the story. I did wish there was a bit more closure at the end with one part (no spoilers) but I understand why it was written like this. I really enjoyed this!

Isabelle Manning is the only child of Ward, an iconic American novelist, and Claire, a beautiful society hostess. Now an adult, Isabelle wants nothing more than to become a New York Times bestselling author like her father. During her journey, she uncovers some shocking truths about her family and begins wondering if everything she thought she knew about her family was a lie.

Okay, this is going to be a rough one…
I honestly didn’t like this book at all. At about 30% in, I thought about dropping it and marking it as DNF, but I decided I needed to see it through.
The main concept of the book was good, but it just took so long to unwind it.
The writing style is unique in that there are multiple POVs over different timelines. It is also unique that it is a book within a book, but this, in turn, made it kind of confusing at times. I was honestly questioning whose book it was that was being written for about half of the story.
There were also other backstories in the book that I felt were completely irrelevant to the story as a whole.
To top it off, I was left completely unsatisfied at the end and found myself questioning “what the heck did I even just read?” 🥴

Maybe I’m alone in these feelings, so if you do happen to pick up this book, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and the author, Leigh McMullan Abramson, for a gifted ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow ... took awhile to connect with the detached emotionless writing style but then was completely engaged & riveted by the narrative .
Multi-layered, engaging storytelling.
Such rich, unique character voices.
Gorgeous & double entendre cover.
Title also significant & central to story.
Excellent debut.

With great thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for this e-ARC!

Isabelle Manning is the only child of renowned novelist, Ward Manning, and his wife Claire. When Isabelle was a child, Ward was not a good father and focused solely on his career. Now an adult, Isabelle tries unsuccessfully to pursue her own writing ambitions. But when her mother unexpectedly passes away, she uncovers shocking truths about her family, specifically about her father, who she looked up to. Can she use what she discovers to help land her own best selling novel?

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love discovering new authors and found this to be a solid debut. It’s mostly a family drama with a bit of a mystery and lots of secrets mixed in. Though the main characters are mostly unlikeable, I thought the author did a nice job of redeeming them. There is also a book within a book element that make this one a bit more interesting.

While overall I enjoyed it, the pace of this one was a bit all over the place. It started and ended strong but overall was really slow. I liked it enough to stuck with it, but I didn’t find myself totally engrossed until the last ten chapters.

I’ve seen this book on many Spring must-read lists, so if you’re looking for something a bit different, check this one out. I’m interesting in hearing what you think!

Another worthy debut! Literary fiction which was slow paced, yet it held my interest throughout.

Mind you... the characters were not very likeable. Riddled with entitled attitudes, fragile egos, elitist lifestyles, and emotional insecurities, some of them, like the egoist Ward Manning, were downright odious. Isabelle herself has been thoroughly damaged by her father on many levels. The recent death of her mother finds her floundering with grief, and causes her to reach an emotional crossroads. The book was a sort of 'coming-of-age' novel even though the protagonist was in her mid thirties.

My favorite character was Claire Manning. Despite her bitter resentment of her husband, she was the glue that held the family together and she was an excellent parent to Isabelle.

There was a 'book within a book' permeating the entire novel. I found them to be almost mirror images of each other which would have led to some confusion - were it not for the clear headings that delineated them.

I have to say that the title was an excellent choice which was a perfect fit for the story.

With themes of white privilege, the need for vindication, bitter resentment, betrayal, provenance and plagiarism, this novel was an interesting take on writing, publishing, and finding your own voice.

I enjoyed the writing, and admire the author's talent even though the characters and story were not completely to my liking. I look forward to reading her next book.

3.5 stars rounded up

kind of a slow start this book then took off. The time periods and the "main character" changing from Isabelle, to Ward to Brian to dead Claire to an unpublished manuscript it kept the reader on her toes. Because of al the points of view and time periods it take a while to catch up. But once I got comfortable and knew all the characters I really became involved in the book. I liked how the author put little things in--Isabelle selling her designer handbags and (I'm a cat lover) the saga of Miss Muffin--especially Isabelle taking her home. Most of the characters are flawed, but that is what keeps them human in this book--and even with all their problems they are all somewhat likeable (even Ward...) It also demonstrates how very smart people make some very dumb choices--read the book and find out.